Bisque

Instead of taking strokes on the stroke-index holes, each player receives their handicap (or the difference) as floating bisque strokes. Before teeing off on any hole a player may declare that a stroke will be used there; you cannot decide after playing the hole. The standard cap is one stroke per hole. Usually match play, 1v1 or 2v2, but it works in stroke play too.

Net match-play or stroke-play result decides the agreed bet. Some groups allow more than one bisque on a hole, which changes strategy considerably.

• Offer a bisque as a sweetener when negotiating a late press or two-hole match
• Stroke-play Bisque with the full handicap
• Partial allotment (e.g. three-quarters) for stronger players
• Declare after the hole (much stronger, use half handicap)
• Two strokes on a single hole allowed
• Stroke-play version

• Low handicappers spend strokes on holes where they already have an edge
• Save a couple for the closing holes
• Announce clearly and mark the card
• Save bisques for holes that historically hurt you
• Do not hoard them into the last three holes